Barry Zito (15-8) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out
six over six-plus innings for the NL West-champion Giants. Sergio Romo
stranded the game-tying run on second base in the ninth to record his 14th
save of the season.

"We played this like a playoff game. It was very good for us. I'll play the
starters again tomorrow to keep them sharp, but I don't know how long I'll
play them," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

Chris Capuano (12-12) surrendered two runs on five hits in a three-plus
innings for Los Angeles, which had its season-high tying six-game win streak
snapped.

A.J. Ellis hit a two-run homer in defeat.

San Francisco struck first with Posey's leadoff homer into the left-center
field seats in the second inning.

The Dodgers quickly answered in the bottom of the frame when Hanley Ramirez
hit a one-out triple and came home on Luis Cruz's grounder to third, but Arias
opened the third with a shot over the center-field wall to put the Giants back
on top.

After Los Angeles left the tying run on second in the fourth inning, the
Giants pulled further away in the fifth on Marco Scutaro's two-run double down
the first-base line.

Arias reached base on a fielder's choice and Angel Pagan was intentionally
walked before both came around to score on Scutaro's two-out hit, which made
it a 4-1 game.

Zito was replaced by Guillermo Mota in the seventh inning after hitting Andre
Ethier with a pitch, and Ellis greeted the reliever with a blast over the
right-center field wall to bring the Dodgers within a run.

Los Angeles then ran itself out of the game-tying run, as Mark Ellis was
thrown out at third while trying the stretch a double into a triple before
Shane Victorino tripled to right field.

Victorino was stranded at third when new pitcher George Kontos fanned Matt
Kemp.

"He got excited. I don't fault him for hustling," Mattingly said about Ellis'
baserunning gaffe.

Ethier opened the bottom of the ninth inning with a single up the middle and
pinch-runner Dee Gordon later stole second to place the tying run in scoring
position with two outs, but Mark Ellis sent a liner to center field that was
caught by Pagan.

Game Notes

Zito has won seven straight starts and the Giants have won each of his last 11
starts ... Capuano fell to 1-7 in 13 career meetings (nine starts) against
San Francisco ... Scutaro extended his career-high hit streak to 19 games ...
Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez went 1-for-4 to extend his hit streak to
14 games ... The Giants have won six of the last eight meetings between the
teams and lead the season series, 10-7.